The Stanley-Boyd school tax levy is going down, currently projected at $4.819 per thousand for 2025-26.
That rate, which still depends on final state aid numbers and formal school levy adoption at an 8:00 p.m. budget hearing Oct. 27 in the high school library, represents a drop of $1.318 from last year’s levy of $6.137 per thousand.
A formal budget hearing for final 2025-26 levy adoption is scheduled to be held Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. in the high school library.
Among factors to potentially impact final sate aid and final numbers are district student enrollment (down), as well as the number of students on private school vouchers, taken on a statewide level.
The projected $4.819 mill rate is based on a state aid figure of $9.4 million, the local levy raising the remaining $3,651,142 to revenue limit.
District Superintendent Jeff Koenig had more at the school board meeting Sept. 22
“The next thing on the equalized aid estimate is the state told us—by July 1 they’re supposed to tell us by this number—and they say our aid’s supposed to be $9.6 million. I don’t think it’s going to be that high because of some end of the year financial maneuvering a bit. I think it’s going to be closer to $9.4 million. That number is important, because that is what offsets our revenue limit from what the actual tax is for people.”
Impacting the numbers as well were property values.
“Our property values are going up considerably,” Koenig said. “It’s above the state average and its close—I think it’s about a $70 million increase in what our property tax equalized value is going to be. That’s not official until October so we’ll see what the number is going to be.”
A rise in property tax values would mean a falling mill rate, Koenig said.
“Like we talked about before, you take what we tax and what the equalized value is, if that is going up, our mill rate is going to go down.”
That wasn’t all, however.
“The other part of that is like we told people during the referendum is we said the mill rate is going to be going down substantially over the next few years. Not only that, our actual tax is going down.”
Predicting a drop of $500,000 in actual school taxes, Koenig said $9.4 million was a cautious figure for expected state aid.
“I put 9.4 because I think that’s what’s it’s going to be,” he said of state aid. “If that 9.6 comes through, that will be even bigger savings.”
District high cost transportation aid is not included in revenue projections, also from a standpoint of caution.
“I’m a big believer in overestimating expenditures and underestimating revenue,” Koenig said of budget figures. Adding in high cost transportation aid adjusts the numbers up, resulting in more revenue for the budget.
As for Stanley-Boyd moving forward, Koenig said the district was being given an exception this year on declining enrollment, meaning $256,000 this year that won’t be coming next year. Other cuts were being made as well, with rough times predicted for school districts generally.
“Any federal funds involved that are getting slowed up now?” Lance Carlson asked of things moving forward.
“I don’t want to say anything’s settled,” Koenig said. “We knew our title money was going to be less. Officially the Department of Education has ruled title money to the State of Wisconsin, so we should be okay on that. However, there are some things that they’ve cut that they said they weren’t going to cut. So the dust hasn’t settled.”
Among potential cuts to come in federal funding is that for the deaf and blind.
“Two weeks ago Friday the DPI was told that they were cutting special education money, and they were cutting money specifically for the deaf and blind,” Koenig said. “So DPI is still trying to fight their way through that.”